Recently on Cyclingnews.com

Tour de France News for May 3, 2004

Edited by Jeff Jones

Vasseur has clean hair (again)

Counter analyses performed on the hair of French cyclist Cedric Vasseur
have revealed no traces of any banned substances, according to a statement
released by his lawyer, Bertrand Wambeke, on Monday. "The new hair analyses
are all negative," said Wambeke. "The charges preventing Cedric Vasseur
from doing the Four Days of Dunkirk have been dropped."

The counter analyses were ordered by the investigating magistrate in
charge of the Cofidis case, Richard Pallain, after a L'Equipe article
claimed that he had returned a positive test for cocaine. After that was
first published, Vasseur had a sample of his hair analysed in March by
a laboratory in Strasbourg, which also came back with a negative
result.

Vasseur has been suspended by Cofidis since April 8 while this process
was taking place, but is now theoretically able to race again. Although
he was not named in the Cofidis team for Dunkirk, Mr Wambeke said, "If
Cofidis follows its own logic, it should register him for the race."

Juniors get a ride at Tour

As part of a sponsorship deal between race organiser ASO and Disneyland
Resort Paris, a small band of junior cyclists will have the opportunity
to ride the first and last 20km of each Tour de France stage this July.
The Disneyland resort has signed on as part of the publicity caravan,
and will also support the juniors, to be selected from clubs from each
region in France.